The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two different interventions to improve adherence to diabetes medications among patients with diabetes and poor metabolic control.
Nonadherence to medications is common among patients with diabetes and contributes to suboptimal control of glycemic and lipid plasma levels. Adherence is not routinely measured in clinical practice because no valid, feasible methods have been readily available. The lack of medication adherence information contributes to clinician failure to identify and address patient nonadherence and to clinical inertia and poor health outcomes. Existing electronic prescribing systems hold the potential to display medication adherence information. We propose a 3-arm randomized clinical trial to test the effectiveness of providing primary care physicians (PCPs) with both adherence measurements and an adherence clinic to improve adherence to diabetic and lipid-lowering drugs. This adherence clinic will consist of a pharmacist and nurse trained in motivational interviewing (Ml) techniques to improve adherence to medications. Adherence indices will be generated by linking e-prescribing information with pharmacy data. The trial will be conducted among 1,436 patients with diabetes and poor blood glycemic and/or lipid control. Patients will be randomized to one of the following three study arms: 1) Usual care - PCPs will write prescriptions electronically but will not be provided patient adherence information or Ml support; 2) Intervention - PCPs will be provided adherence information and prompts electronically when using the electronic prescribing system; and 3) Intervention - PCPs will be provided adherence information and prompts electronically when using the electronic prescribing system plus physicians and patients will receive support from an adherence clinic. Our intervention uses as theoretical behavioral framework elements of the Chronic Care Model, Self-Determination Theory, and the Health Belief Model. The study will use qualitative methods to guide intervention design and implementation and will include both process evaluation and treatment fidelity measures. The intervention will be tailored to patients' adherence and goal levels. The study will also evaluate the cost effectiveness of the intervention. Patients will be followed for 36 months. The introduction of sustainable medication adherence monitoring in clinical practice holds great potential to improve health outcomes among patients with diabetes.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
1,692
Physicians, of the patients randomized to this arm, will have medication adherence information displayed when using the electronic prescribing system.
Physicians, of the patients randomized to this arm, will have medication adherence information displayed when using the electronic prescribing system. Moreover, patients randomized to this arm will be recruited into a clinic run by pharmacists and nurses with delegated prescription power. The clinic personnel will use motivational interviewing techniques with patients to improve adherence to medications and/or to intensify medical treatment if adherence is optimal.
Henry Ford Health System
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Glycated Hemoglobin Levels
Time frame: at 18 months post randomization
LDL-cholesterol Levels
Time frame: at 18 months post randomization
Adherence to Oral Anti-diabetic Medications
Adherence is the estimated proportion of the prescribed dose taken over a 3-month period. Therefore, each estimate of medication adherence represented a 3-month window of use prior to and including the endpoint time (e.g., the adherence estimate at "6 months post randomization" represented use beginning at 3 months post-randomization and ending at 6 months post-randomization). Pharmacy claims data (i.e., days supply and refill frequency) were used to estimate adherence at each endpoint date.
Time frame: at 6 months post randomization
Adherence to Lipid-lowering Drugs
Adherence is the estimated proportion of the prescribed dose taken over a 3-month period. Therefore, each estimate of medication adherence represented a 3-month window of use prior to and including the endpoint time (e.g., the adherence estimate at "6 months post randomization" represented use beginning at 3 months post-randomization and ending at 6 months post-randomization). Pharmacy claims data (i.e., days supply and refill frequency) were used to estimate adherence at each endpoint date.
Time frame: at 6 months post randomization
Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality (Exploratory)
Time frame: at 24 months post randomization
Glycated Hemoglobin Levels
Time frame: at 6 months post randomization
LDL Cholesterol Levels
Time frame: at 6 months post randomization
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Glycated Hemoglobin Levels
Time frame: at 12 months post randomization
LDL Cholesterol Levels
Time frame: at 12 months post randomization
Adherence to Oral Anti-diabetic Medications
Adherence is the estimated proportion of the prescribed dose taken over a 3-month period. Therefore, each estimate of medication adherence represented a 3-month window of use prior to and including the endpoint time (e.g., the adherence estimate at "12 months post randomization" represented use beginning at 9 months post-randomization and ending at 12 months post-randomization). Pharmacy claims data (i.e., days supply and refill frequency) were used to estimate adherence at each endpoint date.
Time frame: at 12 months post randomization
Adherence to Oral Anti-diabetic Medications
Adherence is the estimated proportion of the prescribed dose taken over a 3-month period. Therefore, each estimate of medication adherence represented a 3-month window of use prior to and including the endpoint time (e.g., the adherence estimate at "18 months post randomization" represented use beginning at 15 months post-randomization and ending at 18 months post-randomization). Pharmacy claims data (i.e., days supply and refill frequency) were used to estimate adherence at each endpoint date.
Time frame: at 18 months post randomization
Adherence to Lipid-lowering Drugs
Adherence is the estimated proportion of the prescribed dose taken over a 3-month period. Therefore, each estimate of medication adherence represented a 3-month window of use prior to and including the endpoint time (e.g., the adherence estimate at "12 months post randomization" represented use beginning at 9 months post-randomization and ending at 12 months post-randomization). Pharmacy claims data (i.e., days supply and refill frequency) were used to estimate adherence at each endpoint date.
Time frame: at 12 months post randomization
Adherence to Lipid-lowering Drugs
Adherence is the estimated proportion of the prescribed dose taken over a 3-month period. Therefore, each estimate of medication adherence represented a 3-month window of use prior to and including the endpoint time (e.g., the adherence estimate at "18 months post randomization" represented use beginning at 15 months post-randomization and ending at 18 months post-randomization). Pharmacy claims data (i.e., days supply and refill frequency) were used to estimate adherence at each endpoint date.
Time frame: at 18 months post randomization
Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality (Exploratory)
Time frame: at 36 months post randomization